One year after its creation, Fifteen - a European leader in bike-sharing services - is increasing decarbonisation efforts with Augmented Bike Networks: bike rental services accessible to as many people as possible in as many places as possible (towns, cities and regions), allowing them to rent an eBike for as long as they want (from a few minutes to several days or months).

With the upcoming launch of combined short and long-term rental services in Auxerre and short and medium-term rentals at train stations in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, Augmented Bike Networks are already a reality. 

New innovations to bring cycling to everyone

The world's most compact bike sharing station, now even more powerful

Fifteen’s unique charging station, accommodating up to 10 bikes in an area the size of a single parking space, has already been installed in nearly 10 European cities of varying sizes. It stands out for its ease of installation, compactness, and intelligent charge management. Since the installation of a fully electric bike sharing system from Fifteen, bike-sharing has exploded in France’s second biggest city, Marseille.

Fifteen is now going even further with a new generation of bike stations:

• Lighter and less expensive to deploy and maintain, allowing electric bikes to be made available in more areas. 
• It's smarter. The station adjusts the charge to meet the needs of the bikes and predicted demand. This ensures that every bike is ready to go, with at least 75% of its available range. 
• It's more efficient. The station allows up to four charging stations to be powered from a single electrical connection, with each station charging up to 10 bikes in a 5m long space. 
   

With 3 power supply options (grid, mains, or battery power), these stations are compact and practical, taking up little of our precious public space.

The electric bike that creates more new cyclists

Fifteen’s eBikes are fun to ride, robust and cater to all types of users. The aluminium frame designed to be used by anyone, reinforced types, and the gearless electric assist makes riding Fifteen’s bike an enjoyable experience.  

The new version of Fifteen’s eBike goes one step further:

• The bike is now lighter. Weighing only 26.5kg, thanks to a new industrial process, riding Fifteen’s newest version is now easier.
• A simple display system mounted between the handlebars makes it easy to see which bikes are available, as well as their range. 
• The optional docking module ensures the bike is compatible with all types of charging stations used by Fifteen, including both individual docking stations and ultra-compact systems.
• For the operator, a new connection hub at the back of the handlebar makes maintenance diagnostics easier.

For Benoît Yameundjeu, Chief Executive Officer of Fifteen, the time for intermodality is now.

Fifteen’s electric bikes are equipped with numerous sensors that collect valuable data for the local authority, facilitating the day-to-day management of the service, allowing advanced monitoring of its performance, and supporting elected officials to make data-driven decisions. 

The electric bike also allows various customisation options, including high and very high capacity batteries (up to 120 km range) and various basket designs.

The Augmented Bike Network: a bike service for all regions

Thanks to its unique technological platform combining hardware and software, today Fifteen is the only provider capable of combining previously separate services (such as short-term bike rental and long-term bike rentals) into a single bike-sharing system integrated into the public transport network: the Augmented Bike Network. 

Cities already convinced by the Augmented Bike Network concept

2022 was a very positive year for Fifteen, with new contracts in Marseille and five other French cities. On the international scene, Fifteen won its first ever contracts in Spain and Costa Rica, in the cities of Gijón and Heredia, respectively. Fifteen has also expanded schemes in Paris (Vélib') and Vancouver. 

The upcoming launches of Auxerre and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region signal an exciting step as this is the first time within the Fifteen network that Augmented Bike Networks will be deployed.

World first: Auxerre launches an Augmented Bike Network

From May 2023, the Communauté d'Agglomération de l'Auxerrois will launch a bikesharing service that allows users to rent a bike for both short, and long-term use, all within the same fleet of bikes.

Users will be able to rent a bike for a few minutes for a quick trip across town. Alternatively users will be able to keep a bike for themselves, renting a bike for several months. 

With stations across 29 areas of the district, from the city centre to the suburbs and in more rural areas, the service reaches to everyone. 

First in France: Bike + Train in Nouvelle-Aquitaine

In the summer of 2023, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region and Fifteen will launch Vélo Modalis: an innovative electric bicycle rental service deployed along the train line linking Angoulême and Royan, which will combine short and medium-term (up to 24 hours) rentals. 

In each of the 8 stations along the route, a station based bike sharing scheme will be available to inter-city train passengers as soon as they get off the train, to enable them to cover the last few kilometres of their journey to their final destination by bike.

With the launch of these new services with Fifteen technology, people will change the way they think about bike sharing. Our vision of Augmented Bike Networks is coming to life. Rent a bike for as long as you want, and return it to a station when you’re done.